2 Peter - Chapter 1
1 – 2:
As in other epistles of the NT, Peter first identifies himself and sends greetings. He describes himself as a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ. He shows his humility by first stating his servant position as this position requires obedience to one’s master, in this case Christ. We remember that apostle means one who is sent. In this case Peter had been sent by Jesus himself so while humble, Peter was also assuring that his readers understood that he was speaking with authority.
Peter knew that false teachers were trying to change the gospel but he knew the truth as he had walked with Christ and he had been sent exactly like the prophets of the OT had been sent by the Lord:
“… for thou shalt go to all that I shalt send thee, and whatsoever I command thee, thou shalt speak” (Jeremiah 1:7).
The false teachers were denying that Jesus was God. In Matthew’s gospel we see that Jesus was called Emmanuel (God with us) (Matthew 1:23). Peter carefully reminds his readers that Jesus IS God as well as savior.
Peter wanted his readers to have more grace and peace from God. He wants to see these things multiplied within the believer. He had prayed a similar wish in 1st Peter 1:2. Remember Paul, His chosen vessel to us the gentiles, constantly sent such wishes (Romans 1:7, 1 Cor 1:3, Ephesians 1:2). Peace means far more than the absence of war. Here it refers to the quiet spirit that is God’s gift through our loving relationship with Him. It involves every part of the life of a believer. This true peace comes after His grace is given. These gifts come as people come to know the Lord. Knowing here refers not to simply meeting or any surface relation, but rather is meant to mean the close and intimate relationship, which occurs as we trust and obey, putting Him first in our lives.
3:
Showing us by His example what God expects of us, Jesus calls upon us to trust Him and to please God by living a holy life, meaning set apart. False teachers were saying that there are special secrets needed to be saved, secrets known only to a few (generally themselves). Here is one of the fundamental pillars of the gospel as taught by Peter, that Jesus Christ is sufficient. Nothing other than Christ is needed. There is no other who has the words of eternal life.
4:
When Christians accept the Lord and know Jesus personally they receive through the Holy Spirit His nature. Our old nature is gone and we are new creations. Paul taught this in Galatians 2:20, “…now it is not I who lives but Christ who lives in me…”. We are living as new people and have escaped the corruption of the world through faith. The world here is meant to be the human society that opposes God. Once more, the false teachers were teaching that once saved, people could indulge their evil desires but Peter taught that once saved, people must refrain from that life and not return to it. Repentance means a turning from sin and casting it away from our lives as we now follow Him.
5 – 11:
Jesus has given Christians everything that they need but we are responsible to use what He has given us. Our path to right behavior as followers of Jesus will require hard work, much effort, and will take a long time to produce the fruit of life needed to follow His example set so well for each of us. Peter speaks of seven (the holy number) qualities of character. We do not work on one at a time. All are linked and all must be added and increased in ourselves as we develop into Christian maturity.
These are:
VIRTUE
KNOWLEDGE
TEMPERANCE
PATIENCE
GODLINESS
BROTHERLY KINDNESS
CHARITY (LOVE)
As we develop each of these characteristics, we will come to know Jesus better and each will draw us closer to Him. Notice that in verse 8 Peter uses the full title of “Lord Jesus Christ” to express His supreme authority over all things, including our lives. Verse 9 teaches that those who do not add these things to their lives are blind, spiritually without sight, and have forgotten that God has forgiven their sins.
If these things abound within us, we meet His wishes for us, as these special things will bring our fruit to bear for Him and His kingdom. We should be eager to show these things in our lives. If we do so, we will never fall. Here Peter helps us to avoid that difficult portion of his own life wherein he fell momentarily in his time of fear.
Important Note: Peter is not teaching that one becomes a Christian from hard work or by improved behavior. Peter understood fully that one becomes a Christian first by confession of sin, repentance of sinful ways, accepting Christ as personal savior, and living a life of service to Him by trusting in Him and staying in obedience to His will as knowledge comes through His word. The qualities Peter numbers for us are those that occur as we grow in Him, walk with Him, trusting Him and His Holy Spirit to lead our lives forward.
From all these efforts will come a great welcome for the Christian into the everlasting kingdom as good and faithful servants.
12 – 13:
Peter was not implying his readers were weak, however, he was helping each to recall that since there existed the false teachers spreading false and misleading doctrine, that his desire was to remind the people of the true message of the gospel and to “stir them up” by reminding them of the truth.
Is there a need for Christians of today to be “stirred up”?
14 – 15:
Peter knew he would soon die. He had been given this knowledge by Jesus when Jesus told him he would die by “stretching out his hands’ (John 21:18-19), meaning on the cross.
While Peter was still here, he wanted to help the Christians to
remember what he had taught them.
16 – 18:
Peter now begins teaching of the evidence known from the Apostles. Peter and the others had told the believers about the return of Christ. The same false teachers were saying that Jesus was dead forever and would not return. These false teachers claimed that Peter and others made up these stories about Jesus. But Peter is forceful to point out that he, and others, were eyewitnesses to the majesty of Jesus Christ. Peter had been one of a few to see the Lord in His glorified form at the Transfiguration and he knew that it would be in glory that Jesus would return, as He had promised, and had the angel at the moment Christ ascended. Being an eyewitness to these wonders provided Peter with far higher authority to teach that those who had never seen, never accepted and never known.
19 – 21:
Now Peter concludes his first portion of the 2nd letter (remember there were no verses and chapters then) by reminding the Christians of the evidence from scripture. How firm and direct was this teaching by Peter as he noted that the prophecy of old came not from the will of man but rather was provided through the prophets through the Holy Ghost.
The OT prophets told us that the messiah would come, and He came.
We are reminded that Jeremiah foretold the time of the false teachers of Peter’s time as he wrote:
“the false teachers speak of a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord”. (Jer 23:16)
Peter is clear in his downward view of these false ones as he tells us that no prophecy of the scripture is of private interpretation. Prophecy comes from the mind and spirit from above. The power of the prophets came from above and the small and limited ability of these false teachers came from below as Satan uses all his effort to diminish the Word from reaching the hearts of men.